Buddleia plant named &#39;uconnbd610&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Buddleia  plant named ‘UCONNBD610’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit and thick stems with short internodes; dense and bushy appearance; leathery and durable leaves; freely flowering habit; broadly conical inflorescences with numerous magenta pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Buddleia davidii

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘UCONNBD610’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Buddleia plant,botanically known as Buddleia davidii and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘UCONNBD610’.

The new Buddleia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventors in Storrs, Conn. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new compact Buddleia plants with densegrowth habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Buddleia plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted bythe Inventors in July, 2008 in Storrs, Conn. of Buddleia davidii ‘RoyalRed’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryselection of Buddleia davidii identified as code designation Uconndwf-01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Buddleiaplant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single floweringplant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Storrs, Conn. in July, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Buddleia plant by softwood stem cuttingsin a controlled environment in Storrs, Conn. since July, 2010 has shownthat the unique features of this new Buddleia plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Buddleia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘UCONNBD610’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘UCONNBD610’ as a new and distinct Buddleiaplant:

1. Relatively compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Freely branching habit, thick stems with short internodes; dense andbushy appearance.

3. Leathery and durable leaves.

4. Freely flowering habit.

5. Broadly conical inflorescences with numerous magenta pink-coloredflowers.

6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Buddleia differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent, ‘Royal Red’, in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Buddleia are more compact than plants of ‘RoyalRed’.

2. Plants of the new Buddleia have thicker stems, shorter internodes andare denser and bushier than plants of ‘Royal Red’.

3. Plants of the new Buddleia have thicker and darker green-coloredleaves than plants of ‘Royal Red’.

4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Buddleia are longer thaninflorescences of plants of ‘Royal Red’.

5. Plants of the new Buddleia and ‘Royal Red’ differ in flower color asplants of ‘Royal Red’ have magenta-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Buddleia differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Buddleia are more compact than plants of the maleparent selection.

2. Plants of the new Buddleia and the male parent selection differ inflower color as plants of the male parent selection have darklilac-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Buddleia can also be compared to plants of Buddleiadavidii ‘Pyrkeep’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants ofthe new Buddleia differ primarily from plants of ‘Pyrkeep’ in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Buddleia are more compact than plants of ‘Pyrkeep’.

2. Plants of the new Buddleia have broader and thicker leaves thanplants of ‘Pyrkeep’.

3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Buddleia are more horizontal (notas upright) and fuller and denser than inflorescences of plants of‘Pyrkeep’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Buddleia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Buddleia plant. The photograph on the first sheet is a close-upview of a typical flowering plant of ‘UCONNBD610’ grown in an outdoornursery. The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of atypical inflorescence of ‘UCONNBD610’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in ground beds in anoutdoor nursery in Grand Haven, Mich. and under cultural practicestypical of commercial production. Plants were two years old when thephotographs and description were taken. During the production of theplants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 27° C. and nighttemperatures ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Buddleia davidii ‘UCONNBD610’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Buddleia davidii ‘Royal Red’, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Buddleia            davidii identified as code designation Uconn dwf-01, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By softwood stem cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots plant, summer.—About one to two weeks            at temperatures ranging from 21° C. to 29° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 30 days at            temperatures ranging from 21° C. to 29° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Deciduous perennial shrub;            relatively compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant            habit; rounded appearance; thick stems, short internodes and            dense and bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 55.1 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 71.5 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity: Freely branching habit with            about seven primary lateral branches developing per plant;            pinching enhances lateral branch development. Length: About            61 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 4.4 cm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to about 45° from vertical.            Texture: Pubescent; with development, woody. Color,            developing: Close to 146D slightly overlain with close to            187A. Color, developed: Close to 199B with striations, close            to 199A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement and appearance.—Opposite, simple; leaves durable            and leathery.        -   Length.—About 9 cm.        -   Width.—About 3.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute to acuminate.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Serrate; slightly undulate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent,            coriaceous; venation prominent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A;            towards the margins, close to 144B. Developing leaves, lower            surface: Close to 194C. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 145A. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 194C; venation,            close to 145C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 6.5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm to            2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent.            Color, upper surface: Close to 145A. Color, lower surface:            Close to 146C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers            arranged on terminal and axillary panicles; inflorescences            face mostly outwardly; panicles broadly conical in shape;            freely flowering habit with more than 630 flowers developing            per inflorescence; flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Fragrant; sweet, honey-like, pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, plants            flower continuously from mid-summer into the autumn in            Michigan.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Color: Close to 77B; towards the apex,            close to 88B.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 15.4 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 7 mm.        -   Flower depth.—About 1 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically four in a single            whorl. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Oblong            to obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Slightly acute. Margin:            Entire; slightly undulate. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; soft. Color: Developing petals,            upper surface: Close to 82A; towards the apex, close to 88B.            Developing petals, lower surface: Close to 77B; towards the            base and margins, close to 82A. Fully developed petals,            upper surface: Close to 77B; towards the margins, close to            88B; color fades only slightly with development. Fully            developed petals, lower surface: Close to 82B; towards the            center, shaded with close to 82C; color fades only slightly            with development. Throat: Close to 31A. Tube: Close to 82B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl. Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 0.5 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate to ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly            pubescent. Color, upper surface: Towards the base, close to            145C and towards the apex, close to 147C. Color, lower            surface: Close to 148D.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm to 5 mm. Diameter: About            0.5 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Upright to outwardly.            Texture: Pubescent to smooth and glabrous. Color: Close to            145B tinged with close to 184A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            four. Filament length: About 0.6 mm. Filament color: Close            to 155B tinged with close to 145B. Anther length: About            1 mm. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color: Close to 155B.            Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 11C. Pistils:            Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Stigma            shape: Oblong. Stigma color: Close to 145A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Buddleia.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Buddleia have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Buddleia    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Buddleia have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and to be hardy    to USDA Hardiness Zone 6.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Buddleia plant named ‘UCONNBD610’as illustrated and described.